Demba Ba is confident he will stop people questioning his fitness following
his summer move to Newcastle United as he looks to fill the void left by
Andy Carroll.

Ba failed a medical at Stoke City in January before signing for West Ham because of an old knee injury, but the striker is adamant there is no problem and intends to prove it at St James’s Park.

Although Ba has not taken the number nine shirt – choosing number 19 instead - vacated by Carroll when he joined Liverpool for £35m just over six months ago, he is expected to pick up the goal scoring burden, particularly as Newcastle’s £7m offer for PSG striker Mevlut Erdinc has not been accepted.

It is a challenge he is relishing, not just to win the hearts of fans still pining for the England international, but also to bring an end to months of doubts about his knee.

“I am fed up with it, but people will probably talk about it all my life,” said Ba, who signed for Newcastle as a free agent from West Ham following the Hammers relegation to the Championship.

“I will prove there is no problem. You can't stop people talking, let them talk. I am fit and healthy. They will only stop asking about it if they see me playing and scoring goals. Look at the stats from West Ham last season and I did that. I will let my football do the talking.”

Ba scored seven goals in 12 games for the Hammers following his move from German side Hoffenheim and, after failing to earn a contract at Watford, Swansea and Barnsley as a teenager, he is delighted to have signed for one of English football’s best supported clubs.

He said: “Mentally I am very strong. Every time I step on the pitch it is to win, no matter if it is Swansea or Manchester United.

“You have to be mentally strong to play at a club like this. It is a good thing that there is pressure here, that the crowd are demanding and need entertaining.

“If you are a good strong player you can thrive on that and rise to the challenge. I have always loved English football.=

“I went to Watford as an 18-year-old and I learned a hell of a lot. I hoped to get a contract, but it didn’t work out. I went to Swansea and Barnsley, I didn’t want to give up. I went back to France. I have had my setbacks along the way, but it has probably helped me get here now.”